Policy Webinar under the BOOST Project
4 December 2025 | 14:30–16:00 CET
Registration link | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89055986872
Languages: English and Russian
Background and Rationale
Decriminalisation is defined as the removal of criminal sanctions for certain activities related to drug use and possession for personal use. Several actors in the field of drug policy have indicated that a punitive approach is counterproductive to achieving the health and welfare of humankind. There is no evidence that criminalisation of use, possession for personal use, and other related behaviours has positive impacts in terms of reducing both drug demand and supply.
Purpose and Objectives
- Introduce the BOOST policy brief on decriminalisation to stakeholders across Europe: policymakers, community-led organisations, practitioners, funders
- Present the evidence and recommendations on what works and where challenges remain when discussing about and adopting decriminalisation
- Discuss why we need decriminalisation and what arguments can help and how to achieve this goal?
- Enable dialogue among stakeholders decriminalisation: barriers, enablers, local contexts
- Mobilise institutions, experts, communities and civil society networks to use the brief as an advocacy tool
Programme
| Time | Segment |
| 14:30 – 15:37 | Opening & overview – Milutin Milošević, DPNSEE Executive Director, Moderator |
| 14:38 – 14:45 | The BOOST project: General information and advocacy interventions – Igor Gordon, Program Team Lead, EHRA |
| 14:45 – 14:55 | The BOOST policy paper “Decriminalize! drug use and possession for personal use” – Marios Atzemis, DPNSEE Board member |
| 14:55 – 14:05 | Presentation of the new documents related to decriminalisation and human rights violations – Ganna Dovbakh, Executive Director and Maria Plotko, Senior Program Officer, EHRA
· Updated Criminalisation Cost country profiles and regional comparison for CEECA · Regional CEECA report on CESCR rights violations of people who use drugs |
| 15:05 – 15:15 | Experts from countries implementing decriminalisation – John-Peter Kools, Trimbos institute, The Netherlands |
| 15:15 – 15:22 | Experts from countries implementing decriminalisation – Sanja Mikulić, Institute for Public Health, Croatia |
| 15:23 – 15:30 | Experts from countries implementing decriminalisation – Joana Canêdo, Portugal |
| 15:30 – 15:38 | Experts from countries implementing decriminalisation – Dr. Jana Michailidu, Czechia |
| 15:40 – 15:55 | Questions and answers |
| 15:55 – 16:00 | Closing – Ganna Dovbakh, EHRA Executive Director and EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs Chairperson |